Commodity Fetishism in Sport Culture
Parth Patel
Professor Erin Nunnally
College Writing
11/28/2012
The Mascot: Commodity Fetishism in Sport Culture
Sport culture is something, which is of great importance in today’s society. Interest in sport ranges from kids to sports fans to scholars. Sport culture is an effecting way of a contributor to physical and social development. It is a universal language, that has the power can diminish cultural gaps and create a family feeling and unity. This feeling of unity is created by the performances that come with sport culture such as victory dances, school songs, cheerleaders, and mascots (Lüschen). According to Rick Minter in “Mascots: Football’s Furry Friends”, “We all care about the symbols, nicknames, and legends of our clubs-mascots make them real again. They are a bit of our club that we can reach out and touch.” Minter is completely right about mascots. They make us laugh, we enjoy their athleticism and kids really love them. However, their purpose for being present in the arena is far deeper than just entertainment.
While most people believe that mascots are only present for the entertainment of the fans, the sociological perspective argues that mascot performances are fetishized aspect of sport culture, and that the rituals performed by the mascots show the magic to relate to and influence a chosen athletic team. Arguably, the success of college and professional sport teams is dependent on the ability to win games, and mascot performances are a key part of that process of winning the crucial games that come down to the last minute (Sheed). While sports fans enjoy mascots for their physicality and their dance along the sidelines, their significance can be found on a supernatural power. James Frey, in his scholarly article “Sport and society” states “The performance of mascots are continued to be a fetishized status in sports ranging from high school sports to professional sports.”
In the discussion of mascots, one must know
Professor Erin Nunnally
College Writing
11/28/2012
The Mascot: Commodity Fetishism in Sport Culture
Sport culture is something, which is of great importance in today’s society. Interest in sport ranges from kids to sports fans to scholars. Sport culture is an effecting way of a contributor to physical and social development. It is a universal language, that has the power can diminish cultural gaps and create a family feeling and unity. This feeling of unity is created by the performances that come with sport culture such as victory dances, school songs, cheerleaders, and mascots (Lüschen). According to Rick Minter in “Mascots: Football’s Furry Friends”, “We all care about the symbols, nicknames, and legends of our clubs-mascots make them real again. They are a bit of our club that we can reach out and touch.” Minter is completely right about mascots. They make us laugh, we enjoy their athleticism and kids really love them. However, their purpose for being present in the arena is far deeper than just entertainment.
While most people believe that mascots are only present for the entertainment of the fans, the sociological perspective argues that mascot performances are fetishized aspect of sport culture, and that the rituals performed by the mascots show the magic to relate to and influence a chosen athletic team. Arguably, the success of college and professional sport teams is dependent on the ability to win games, and mascot performances are a key part of that process of winning the crucial games that come down to the last minute (Sheed). While sports fans enjoy mascots for their physicality and their dance along the sidelines, their significance can be found on a supernatural power. James Frey, in his scholarly article “Sport and society” states “The performance of mascots are continued to be a fetishized status in sports ranging from high school sports to professional sports.”
In the discussion of mascots, one must know